We heartily thanked the admiral, and taking our leave, hastened to carry out our intentions.
We soon, with Lieutenant Blake’s assistance, fixed on a vessel, appropriately called the Good Hope. She was in seaworthy condition, with stores of all sorts on board, and carried twenty guns. Her complement of men we had no difficulty in obtaining, as the corsairs who had just been captured were glad to obtain good pay and to escape having to serve on board the Parliamentary ships.
Lancelot was appointed captain, I went as his first lieutenant, and Dick, who got leave from the admiral, as his second, while Martin Shobbrok went as gunner, and Ned Watkins volunteered to act as boatswain.
Getting such further stores, provisions, arms, and ammunition on board as we required for a long cruise, we bade our friends “Good-bye,” and making sail stood away from the Scilly Islands, which we soon ran out of sight.
Chapter Eight.
Close Quarters.
The Good Hope had got well to the southward. Hitherto things had gone on smoothly, though we found our crew less inclined to submit to discipline than we desired. Neither did Martin and Watkins pull very amicably together.
At first we thought that the old gunner was inclined to demand more respect from the boatswain than the latter was inclined to pay, but one night, while I was keeping watch on deck, Martin came up to me. He looked round to ascertain that no one was near, as if he had something of importance to communicate.